Interesting Facts About Sleep

Herewith some interesting facts about sleep that you might not have been aware of.

Scientists and researchers are learning more and more about sleep and what we know so far has only been discovered in the last 25 years.

• 12% of people dream entirely in black and white. Before the colour television only 15% of people dreamt in colour

• Cats spend two thirds of their lives sleeping. You will find them sleeping on your favourite seat or keyboard.

• Giraffes only needs 1.9 hours sleep whereas the brown bat needs 19.9 hours of sleep a day.

• Humans spend around 1/3 of their lives sleeping but it does differ depending on their age.

• In 1964, Randy Gardner a Californian student set a record for the longest period without sleep. He stayed awake for 11 days.

• It’s been reported that deaf people use sign language in their sleep.

• Getting out of bed can be hard but those with Dysania find it particular harder. Dysania is a form of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

• Having unnatural movements at night while sleeping? It’s called Parasomnia. People are capable of committing crimes, sleep driving or even murder due to parasomnia.

• Have you ever had the sensation of falling while sleeping and then jerked yourself awake? It called Hypnic Jerks.
• Hypnic Jerks are deemed healthy to happen but can increase due to anxiety or too much caffeine. They are more frequent in younger people but decrease as we get older.

• According to the National Sleep Foundation it’s thought that 15% of the population sleepwalk. It is just a myth that you should not wake a sleepwalker.

Sleep deprivation vs Food deprivation.

• Neither are good for you but going without food for a week will probably only leave you a little weak, hungry and somewhat thinner.
• Being sleep deprived can have a significant effect on your health. It will affect your mood, productivity, cognitive capacity, memory and the ability to learn.

• Blind people experience dreams involving things such as smell, sight and emotion instead of sight.

• 50% of our dreams are forgotten withing 5 minutes of waking and after an additional 5 minutes 90% is gone.

• It should only take you between 10-15 minutes to fall asleep if you fall asleep in less than 5 minutes you might be sleep deprived.